Crying wolf

The problem with trying to keep people in a perpetual state of fear is that they become desensitized and stop believing (or caring about) what they are told they are supposed to fear. Here's a story on a recent poll of travelers (emphasis added):

In April alone, the U.S. State Department issued nine travel warnings, cautioning Americans about the risk of being victims of violence while traveling in places like Iraq, Syria and Mexico.

In the case of Syria, the department urged all U.S. citizens on April 25 to leave the country as quickly as possible because of the violent clashes between protesters and government forces.

But it seems few Americans completely change their travel plans in response to such warnings, according to a new online poll conducted by the Minneapolis-based travel company Travel Leaders.

 The article continues:

Of those polled, 72% said they had no concerns about the use of full-body scanners that can look through clothing to spot hidden weapons. In a similar survey conducted last year, 82% said they had no concerns about the scanners.

Among travelers who worry about the scanners, the top reasons were fears that radiation could pose health risks; privacy issues; and security delays.